1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a microwave generator 1 which includes a charge storage means and an untriggered discharge spark gap which is connected in series therewith.
The invention concerns a microwave generator as set forth in the classifying portion of claim 1.
The function of such a generator is based on the fact that a high voltage storage means, for example an array of capacitors which is first charged up in parallel in accordance with the principle of the Marx impulse voltage source and then connected in series by way of switching spark gaps, is discharged by way of a short circuit spark gap. The resulting steep edge of strongly oscillating discharge currents contains a mixture of very high frequencies, which is emitted in the form of microwave energy by way of the line guide or by way of a separately connected antenna. That wide-band microwave spectrum involves such a high energy density that, in the area around such a microwave generator, radio communication is at least impaired and input circuits of electronic circuit arrangements can be damaged or even destroyed, by virtue of resonance effects.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
It is known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,378 A to switch over arrays of capacitors by way of spark gap switches of the above-mentioned kind, in that case for generating an electromagnetic pulse for the simulation of a really triggered nuclear pulse.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,311 A provides that a steep-edge voltage pulse can be influenced by electron beams. DE 35 28 338 C1 describes fast explosive-operated magnetic field compression for current amplification for a magnetic field effective as a non-lethal weapon. A comparable technology is used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,545 A for a compact intensive radiation source.
Because of the possibility of affecting radio connections the effect of intensive microwave emission as a non-lethal weapon is propagated against enemy communication systems, see DER SPIEGEL, Issue July 1997, pages 53 if, there the end of paragraph 3 of the left-hand column on page 54.